The last Vow
by Otulissa
Summary: In the kingdom of Victory Princess Hortense has been sentenced to death and all wonder why. On the eve of her execution she receives her last visitor who she confesses everything to. Takes places after the last episode but based on flash backs. Please Rvw
1. Chapter 1 Death's Eve

**I wanted to make this a one shot but that's not going to happen. The story is set in the nation of Victory.**

The sound of the heavy metal cells doors echoed sporadically as the clock on the wall ticked away catching on the minute hand over the six. The guards mouth stretched wide as he yawned, slowly drifting off to sleep.

The jingle of hand cuffs and a sharp sigh jarred him awake, reminding him that he had a prisoner to watch. The young woman filled her cheeks with air again then released it as she drummed her index finger in the table.

"When is that journalist going to get here; she's going to make me miss my last meal."

The guard wiped his eyes roughly and eyed the clock. "Have you considered pleading?" He asked. "I mean a firing squad is no way to—

"It has been deiced." The young woman said. "Besides, I would not plead so much as a look from my brother." The guard fiddled with his cap.

"I'm sorry Duchess." He said.

"Do not call me that, please." The young woman said. The guard seemed taking back. "But you are—

"Was!" The young woman said. "If I were a princess I would not be here." Voices sounded form outside the room and the guard leaned forward.

"But once, people called you The Duchess of Victory, the bride of the nation. Once you sang in your father's court before tens of aristocrats." The young woman raised one brow slightly.

"Once? Once upon a time my father liked Silas; once upon a time he lived, but not anymore."

As she finished her sentence the heavy door behind her opened and a woman with long blond hair and glasses entered. The guard stood and gave her he's seat. The woman set up her things on the table, a recorder a diary and a notebook.

"I'm sorry I'm late, I ran into traffic." She said as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Traffic?" The princess questioned, "I miss traffic." The reporter noticed the far off look that came to the young woman's face. "Pounding horns, exhaust, the lost time you can't ever get back." She looked at the reporter and smiled. With a heavy sigh she rested her hands on the table and leaned forward.

"So what deep dark secrets do you want to know?" She asked. The reporter pressed record then picked up the diary.

"Why, I want to know about you Hortense Ruth." The reporter replied. Hortense scuffed as the reporter filed through her things. "The famous Duchess of Victory!"

"You mean infamous." Hortense said. She stole a look at the guard. "Is this going to take long…

"Baker," The reporter said. "Joyce Baker." Hortense nodded her head and looked down in thought. "I'll begin." Joyce said politely and Hortense bobbed her head. Joyce cleared her throat.

"I was looking through this diary, the one that your sister gave me—

"Dianna is behind this?" Hortense interrupted, "why do my siblings insist on betraying me?" She asked sarcastically.

"Princess please," Joyce said. Hortense relaxed and Joyce continued. "I was looking through this diary and I couldn't help but notice how much it reminded me of the nursery rhyme, about the father and the gun and his son…I can't remember what it's called." She snapped her fingers trying to remember, unaware that Hortense was in deep thought.

"_Sons and Daughters_ ." She said. The reporter stopped and looked up.

"You're familiar with it?" She asked. Hortense scoffed and leaned back in her chair.

"Familiar with it? My father made me sing it before 20 odd people. I kept missing the high notes, but when you're a child your feelings really don't matter." She paused and grabbed hold of her two thick childish braids with white ribbons at the ends.

"In fact," She said looking up. "That's a good place to start."

_And all the young sons fight the wars of their fathers_

_All of the fathers give them their guns_

_Yet at the same time the fathers surrender their daughters_

_To whatever circumstances may come_


	2. Chapter 2 Crossed Paths

In the beginning there was my Eldest brother Mordred my sister Dianna, myself and our baby brother Brice. He was born when I was only four. But also there was Mary.

"_Mary?" The reporter said. "I don't recall there ever being five of you. And there's never any mention of a Mary."_

"_They never talked about her much." Said Hortense._

"_Were they ashamed?" asked Joyce._

"_No, my parents loved their children and my father died before my brother turned. No, Mary…she died…a long time ago."_

"_I sorry to here that." The reporter said making notes._

"_So am I." Hortense said biting her bottom lip._

"_Was it fowl play?" Asked Joyce._

"_I'm the one telling the story, Baker." Hortense said and continued._

I sang that stupid rhyme that night. There seemed to be so many people. Sometimes at night in my cell I can hear the chatter. Inaudible conversations. Everyone clapped; they were only being nice of course.

Afterward while all the adults where engrossed in their own conversations. My brother would sneak off with Prince Jack. They always had so much fun together and ever curios me, had to be part of it…even when they didn't want me to.

_" The real Prince Jack Benjamin?" Asked Joyce._

_"No, the chocolate one."_

Hortense's braids bounced as she ran up the halls as fast as her little legs could carry her. "Mordred wait for me!" She shouted after her brother who had no intensions of stopping. Mordred and Jack rounded the corner. Determined not to let them have fun without her Hortense sped around the corner too sharp lost her footing and slid across the floor.

Mordred stopped running and turned around to laugh at his little sister. "Baby." He said and stuck out his tongue. He stood over her and looked down his nose. "When I'm King, babies like you will be the first thing to go." Hortense looked up at her brother too hurt by his words to say anything.

"She's you baby sister." Jack said next to him. Mordred stopped laughing as if he had been literally slapped. His black eyes hardened like two stones. Nonetheless Jack reached out his hand to Hortense and helped her up. Mordred rolled his eyes. "Awww look at the wittle prince being chivalrous." He crooned.

He shoved Jack hard and the smaller prince hit the wall. Hortense waited for Jack to punch Mordred black and blue the way she would have done if she were bigger. Instead Jack shoved Mordred playfully and the two went back and forth and started racing up the halls again pretending to be planes.

Still out of breath, Hortense started after them again, but this time when she rounded the corner they were gone. She slowed her pace to a walk as she made her way up the hall.

About a yard apart on the walls were portrait paintings. Hortense stared up at the large works of art biting her thumb and looking into her eyes. When she came to a painting of a large man with hair the color of snow she froze.

"I think some one is outside the door." A voice said. Hortense's eyes widened and she stepped back from the pictures.

"Hello?" She said in a small voice barley even a whisper.

"Strange isn't it?" The voice came again louder than before. Hortense stumbled backwards unable to run. She backed into something and looked up. A face stared back at her. Hortense took her thumb from between her teeth no longer interested in it.

Turning around she looked at the man's feet than all the way up to his face again. Once she was sure he was a real person she smiled.

"I remember you." The man said kneeling down to her level. "You sang for us at dinner." Hortense nodded her head with pride.

"I'm a princess I have to sing, you should know that." She said.

"Well excuse me." The man said and started down the hall in the opposite direction Mordred and Jack had gone. Hortense looked up the hall then down it, then up then down it. Presently she started down the hall. When the man looked over his shoulder she stopped and waited for him to continue. When he started walking again so did she.

She ran up to his side and grabbed his hand. "My name's Hortense." She grinned. "That mean gardener." The man slowed down to her pace.

"You like flowers, Hortense?" The man asked sticking his free hand in his pocket. Hortense nodded her head dramatically.

"I like flowers and gardens and trees and stars. My brother says stars are nothing if they can't shine." She paused and for a four year old had a deep thought. "If a star can't shine can it still be a star?" She asked looking up at him and frowning. The man looked back down at her.

"If bells can't ring, can they still be called bells?" He held his hand out to her and reviled a silver bell with a green ribbon. Hortense stared at the shine, captivated by the luminosity of it. Slowly she took it for his opened hand held it to her ear and shook it gently.

She looked at the man in horror. "It doesn't make a sound!" She said in alarm. The man laughed at her expression. "It's so shiny but doesn't make a sound." She turned the bell over in her hand in disappointment.

"Does that answer your star question?" The man asked. Hortense nodded her head as she studied the bell. The loud chime of a grandfather clock echoed up the hallway. "Next time I see you little gardener, you have to answer my question about the bells." Hortense looked up wanting to ask more questions but he had already gotten far away.

She held the bell to her ear and shook it. Not a sound.

"_William Cross, William Cross gave you a bell?" The reporter asked._

"_Boy, don't you sound surprised." Hortense said, then her voice grew serious. "I spent years trying to find the answer to that question; just like he wanted me to." _

_The cell opened and a guard carried in a tray of food. "At last." Hortense exclaimed. The guard set the tray down in front of her and she looked down at the meal. "And so it is." She said to herself. "My father loved Gath, and evidently so did my sister Dianna, she would go out and party with the girls from that land, landing herself and all sorts of troubles. _

"_Perhaps that's why my father chose me to be the bride of the nation."_

"_Is that when you answered the bell question?" Joyce Baker asked. _

_Hortense shook her head. "No, I saw William Cross much sooner again than that. I was seven, and my father was making friends in all the wrong places. I guess that makes me his daughter." _


	3. Chapter 3 Jack

_The guard was leaning against the wall of the room with his cap pulled down over his head. Joyce Baker had been writing for about five minutes. She hadn't expected to come by such a story. She has expected the princess to plead innocent, maybe even ask her to voice it to the public, save her soul, even. However Princess Hortense had avoided that avenue all together. _

_Joyce put down her pen and adjusted her glasses._ _Hortense was ticking with the chain of her handcuffs waiting for the reporter to ask her to go on. _

_"So what was it like watching your brother grow into a tyrant?" Joyce asked._

_"No one saw it coming, unfortunately." She leaned forward. "Dianna was too busy flirting with everything that walked; Brice was just a boy. Mordred was the eldest son, you have to understand Baker, the eldest can do no wrong."_

_"What did you think of your brother?" Baker asked, "Did you hate him love him, despise him maybe?" Hortense pursed her lips in thought._

_"That's the odd thing," She said, "I was the one he always picked on. I was his scapegoat. Yet, I was seven and obviously very naïve and even more so impressionable"_

"Jack, Jack!" Hortense screamed in ecstasy as she raced down the wet steps to the prince. It had rained all morning and to her the prince had brought the sun. Behind her Mordred descended the steps with his hands in his pockets and his lips twisted in a frown.

Hortense threw her arms around the prince's neck and hugged him. Jack held out his hand above her head and measured her. "You're getting tall." He said grinning. Hortense snickered.

"Dianna says Mordred is going to be a really little man but don't tell them I told you that." Jack and Hortense laughed as Mordred approached with the queen not too far behind him with Dianna.

He stood before Jack and sized him up. Indeed the prince of Gilboa had out grown him. "Hortense!" Mordred suddenly snapped. "Why don't you go play with your dolls and leave us men to our business."

The little princess couldn't contain herself, she doubled over laughing. "You not a man Mordred; Jacks more of a man and even he's still a boy." Hortense saw her brother's face darken and he lunged for her.

Agatha and Rose watched as the prince and princess raced back to the mansion. "Mordred you leave your sister alone." She shouted after the prince you deliberately ignored his mother and chased his sister into the house.

Hortense dodged guards and maids with grace knowing that her brother was too spoiled and out of shape to catch her. However she also knew that he was sneaky so she hid in her room for about an hour afterwards.

When she was sure he had cooled down and put it behind him she sought out the two princes where she knew they'd be. In the summer they would always fish from the bridge above the creek in the woods. Queen Rose preferred her son not to go but Mordred had learned to manipulate his younger friend.

Jack greeted her with a smile when he heard her shoes on the planks. "Hi guys." Hortense said.

"Hi Hortense." Jack said and Mordred shot him a meaningful look. "I can talk to her if I want to Mordred.

"This is my house I make the rules!" Mordred shouted. Jack had never seen his friend like this.

"Calm down Mordred, what's gotten into you?"

Mordred knowing he had no real reason to be angry turned all his raft on Jack.

"I'm ready to be king, ready to take charge of Victory!"

Jack and Hortense exchanged glances as the young prince raged like a dictator.

"Are you ready Jack, are you ready to take your father's place. He could be shot dead right now and you wouldn't be ready to be king. However I'm so prepared that I could practically over throw my father right now."

"How could you say that, when you know he's not well?" Hortense said. Mordred whirled around like a lion spotting easier prey. He charged forward and rammed into his sister sending her careening over the edge and into the black water.

Hortense broke the surface gasping for air and trying to keep her head above water. "Jack!" She cried chocking on water and splashing frantically but in vain. "Jack!" Jack was already getting ready to jump in but in a flash Mordred was on top of him holding him down on the bridge. Jack scrambled to the edge and reached his arm over.

Hortense reached back for him but the bridge was well out of reach. "Mordred stop, please." Jack cried as Hortense's struggle became exhausted. Mordred held Jack down even firmer until the water was still. Mordred stared in shock at what he had just down. He was so busy staring at the water that Jack was able to break free and dive in after the princes.

Mordred stood and dusted off his clothes ready to run when Jack broke the surface with Hortense in tow. He laid the princess out on the bank and the two coughed up water for a full minute. Jack looked back at the lone figure on the bridge. Mordred was tossing acorns into the water with a blank expression on his face. Hortense scooted close to Jack and Jack put his arms around her still breathing hard and not taking his eyes off the deranged prince.

"Jack," Hortense said through chattering teeth.

"Yes." The prince replied.

"If bells don't ring, can they still be called bells?" She asked shivering. Jack didn't reply right away. He was watching Mildred desperately trying to squash a dragonfly with his bare hands.

"I don't know."

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"_Jack saved your life." Joyce said, "Do you really think that Mordred was going to kill you…I mean, how could you not see it coming?"_

_"I was used to Mordred treating me that way; it only became worse as the years went by."_

_"I do find it odd that with your father's love for both Gath and Gilboa that he didn't marry at least one of his daughters to them. I mean you did say that Dianna was involved with Gath which I guess would give him reason enough not to, but why not Gilboa? Ignoring current circumstances, I think you and Jack would have been perfect together."_

_Hortense looked at the reporter with curiosity. She couldn't be from this plane; not if she thought she deserved Jack. "You really think so?" She asked and the reporter nodded._

_"Well at seven years of age, so did I." _

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Queen Agatha was sitting up in bed reading a book when Hortense entered in her night clothes.

"Hey sweetie," She said and held out her hand to her daughter. "Are you alright?" She asked referring to what happened earlier.

"It's the past." Hortense said, only echoing what she had heard the queen say countless times.

"That's my strong girl." She said and pulled her daughter into the bed. "Now what I can I do for you at this hour?" The Queen asked jubilantly. Hortense traced her mothers check bones and tangled her fingers in her hair.

"Mommy," Hortense said. "I want to marry Jack." The queen's lips went tight and she looked as if someone had toppled her empire.

"It's time for bed Hortense." She said pulling back the covers and climbing out of her own bed to tuck her daughter in. Her mother went over to the door expecting her daughter to fallow but the princess didn't budge.

"Now Hortense." Her mother said and held out her hand. Hortense went over to her mother and the queen led her back to her room in silence.

Hortense rested her head against her pillow as the queen pulled the blankets over her body as she sung _Sons and Daughters_. "Mommy…why?" Hortense suddenly asked. Agatha smoothed back her daughter's hair.

"Because you will marry someone better than Jack or any prince for that matter." The queen said.

Hortense sat up in bed in excitement. "Who?" She asked. Agatha leaned forward and kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Victory." She said

"I don't understand." Hortense said.

"You will one day, Hortense." The Queen said, "But for now don't be in such a hurry to grow up." She went to turn of the lamp and accidently knocked the silver bell off the nightstand. Picking it up she shook it near her ear. She shrugged and turned it over in her hand.

"It's broken I suppose." She said, "A bell that can't ring is hardly a bell at all."

Hortense's eyes went wide. "Hardly, but still a bell?" She asked. The queen stood from the bedside and placed the bell back on the nightstand.

"I suppose." She said and shut out the light.

Hortense waited until she was sure that her family members were sleeping then she climbed out of bed grabbed her messenger bag and slipped out the room. Slipping silently through the halls she made her way to the room where Jack slept whenever his parents were touring Victory, politically of course.

The guard was a little way up the hall with his back turned so quickly she ducked into the room. "Jack," she said, "Jack are you awake?" Jack quickly climbed from beneath his blankets, not like someone who had been sleeping, but like someone who had been waiting.

"Hurry." Hortense said ushering him out the door. Dodging the guards they raced into the courtyard and quickly got everything ready. Jack spread out the blanket and Hortense poured the hot chocolate and crackers.

"The Sky isn't very clear." Jack noted.

"It'll come, it'll come." Hortense said with her eyes glued to the sky. Jack noticed how tense she was. "There." She suddenly said. Jake looked back at the sky. "Right on time."

The comet drifted across the sky like someone finger painting with blue on a black canvas. "Imagine Jack, what it would be like to be a comet or a star. We'd just go on and on and on and on and on and on." Jack looked over at his friend who seemed to have floated away with the comet. "And then people on earth would look at us and think 'wow, that's beautiful'."

Hortense closed her eyes and took Jack's hand. "I Vow to be as free as a comet but as loved as a star." Thunder clapped and a sound like applause filled the night as the rain swept the yard. Lost in their laughter Hortense and Jack scrambled to get everything packed up before racing back to the house.

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"_That was my first Vow." Hortense said. "And Jack was my witness."_

_"He left soon after that?"_

_"Yes."_

_"He kept in touch over the years, but change can be so vicious." Hortense shook her head. "But first Cross came back, he noticed how impressionable I was. To me he was a gateway to Jack, but to him…I was an open door." _


	4. Chapter 4 corrupted

_Praises for Victory_

_You are so glorious_

_I want a victory_

_Make me victorious_

_And all the kings will come_

_And bow before your throne_

_You're like the luminous sun_

_But much more brightly shone_

_The people lift their hand_

_And your praises sing_

_They shout out recognize_

_Here comes the king_

Applause rang out in the room and Princess Hortense curtsied. Looking among the faces she noticed that her father was not present. Leaving the guest to their meals she sought out the king who had made her sing the song in the first place.

She made her way to his study and stopped just outside the door.

"Well, it happens." She could hear her father say. "People have made attempts on my life. Not just my own people but people from Gath and Gilboa alike. They want me to pick a side, they say I'm _straddling the fence_, sort of speak. I call it keeping peace."

Hortense entered the room using her innocents to her advantage. She deliberately walked by her father and his sister and played with the globe in the corner.

"All I'm saying is, be careful. If people are brave enough to behave this way under King Silas, how much more so you?"

"Naomi, I don't need my own sister telling me this." The King said

"Well would you rather her it from the people?" Naomi huffed and walked the length of the room. "They are sighing and groaning, demanding a king who is brave enough to go to war."

"War devastated Victory under my father; I will not repeat his history Naomi. You know how terrible that was. Besides you were the one who told me, avoid war with Gath and or Gilboa at all times." The king said.

"That was before, before people like Silas and before all of these terrible battles." She slammed her hands on his desk. "What's going to happen when Gath and Gilboa decide to rip each other's throats out? Huh, little brother? Victory will be crushed in between." She began walking the room again becoming animated with her hands.

"The only thing that protects us from a land invasion are your three little seas and the mountains to the back. Your land alone saves you from invasion." She put her hand on her forehead dramatically. "Think the damages that foot soldiers could do. Think of your children." She gestured to Hortense who looked blankly at her aunt.

The king stood in defense. "I do think of my children!" He shouted. "and refusing war is the best thing to protect them." He coughed long and hard.

Naomi shook her head at her brother. "You're dying Elisha. How do you expect Mordred to carry this burden?"

Hortense saw her father's distress and how her aunt, who could have ruled the country single handedly, was making him feel guilty. Many times she had insulted the king's pride. She was so pushy and arrogant but she was right. However the king was her father and she was his daughter.

Before her aunt could go on Hortense put her feet together stood tall and sung at the top of her lungs.

_Praises for Victory_

_You are so glorious_

_I want a victory_

_Make me victorious_

_And all the kings will come_

_And bow before your throne_

_You're like the luminous sun_

_But much more brightly shone_

_The people lift their hand_

_And your praises sing_

_They shout out recognize_

_Here comes the king_

Naomi shook her head and left the room. Hortense went over to her father and sat in his lap. He kissed her hair. "That's my daughter." He said, "A true child of Victory."

"You're not really going to die, are you daddy?" Hortense asked.

"You're going to have a very important job to do." The king said instead. "You'll have to look out for this nation, as if you were a body guard protecting your king. You're brother may be king but you will be the image of Victory."

"What's that?" Hortense asked.

"You'll be the nation's bride." Her father replied. Hortense leaned her head against his chest. "

"Daddy, I want to marry Jack." She said, "Can't I marry Jack and be the image of Victory?"

He kissed her forehead and smoothed down her stray pieces of hair. "You can't slave for two masters."

With a heavy sigh Hortense slid off her father's lap and left his study. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the silver bell. Absentmindedly she walked the halls examining it in her hands. Unintentionally she made her way back to the odd portrait painting.

She was looking at the bell when suddenly all went black. "Guess who?" A voice said. Hortense pulled the hand from over her eyes and whirled around.

"Cross!" she exclaimed. Looking down at her hands she held up the bell. "I've convinced myself that it does ring. Does that make it a bell?" She tired to offer it back to him put he gestured for her to keep it.

"You really pondered that question for nearly three years?" He asked. Hortense nodded her head with pride.

"I think that…it's not our place to decide what is and what isn't." She said. Cross started walking so she did too.

"Answer this for me." She said. "What is required of the image of Victory?" She looked up into his eyes desperately wanting an answer.

"I think if you father wanted you to know that he would have told you." Cross replied. Hortense crossed her arms and pouted.

"Are you going to make me wait three more years?" She sassed. Cross stopped walking and turned around. "And you're not even going to leave me with a broken instrument." She shook her head.

"You don't know what you're dealing with, do you little girl?" Cross asked. Hortense's mouth dropped open. No one just called her _little girl_. She was a princess.

"I'm not so little , and I'm very smart for my age." She said stretching herself to her full height. Cross laughed under his breath and shook his head.

"I guess your questions will be answered when you're older." He said, "But don't be in such a hurry to get there." He said petting her head."

"But I want to know so much, and I want to know now!" Hortense said.

"Well that shows that you're too curious. Cross said, "Say, you try standing in the sun and rain. I bet you'll grow as quickly as a flower in a garden, eh little gardener." With that he was gone; leaving Hortense staring in wonderment.

Not missing a beat. She raced into he room leaned against the wall and marked with crayon just above her head. Then she ran outside totting a bucket of water searching for the best spot in the vegetable garden. Digging her feet in the earth she faced the sun and poured the bucket over her head.

She blinked the water out of her eyes and waited, and waited and waited. The sun bore down on the garden and Hortense wiped the sweat from her forehead. There was a ringing in her ears and her breath became heavy. Swaying a little to the left her eyes rolled back and she collapsed.

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"_You seem to have known so much, but still you were as gullible as any." Joyce Baker said._

_Hortense shrugged, spreading her hands apart as far as the cuffs allowed. "When I woke up I was in my room and my mother and Brice were there. She was son confused at to what I was doing and I knew I couldn't explain." Hortense watched the tape recorder wind for a moment then continued. "But, when they had gone, I climbed out of bed and measured myself again. To my surprise I was shorter. I guess I should have taken my shoes off." She laughed despite herself._

"_Let me guess," Joyce then said. "Despite all that you still wanted to listen to him."_

_"Yes."_

_"Even after your father was bedridden?"_

_"Even more so then. He made sense and he didn't talk about Mordred they were everyone else did. They were all exited about him becoming king at such an early age." Hortense shook her head as she remembered._

_"What about Jack?" The guard asked. Hortense and Joyce both looked at him funny. _

_"Pull up a chair." Hortense said. The guard did just that and sat in it backwards. "You've already heard things that no one should." She racked her memory._

_"Jack," She began. "We continued to keep in touch but we both were changing. I never understood what he was going through and I was too wrapped up in my own political crises to help out. Every time we talked hr said he was confused, but he would never tell me why, it's not like he had something to be afraid of."_

_Joyce and the guard exchanged glances and cleared their throats._

_"Anyways, my sister Dianna was of the age when children are corrupted by TV. She proceeded to fornicate with Gath." Hortense made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat. "I was my father's favorite daughter, and that contributed to me becoming the Duchess of Victory." She said in a loud voice and swept her bound hands dramatically._

_"That's about the time foreign relation fell apart." The guard said. Hortense nodded. "Morbid Mordred was inheriting ting a kingdom in distress. However, my father had a gift for keeping friends close and enemies…he ignored them."_

"_And what about Cross, was he friend or enemy?" Joyce asked. Hortense leaned back in her chair._

_"Took me seven years to find out." She said, "I suppose it could have happened to a more disciplined princess. You could say, Dianna or myself asked for trouble in our own ways, but not marry." Hortense paused and fiddled with her cuffs. _

_"People always liked her—aside from Mordred—I envy her for it still"_

_"You shouldn't envy the dead." Joyce said._

_Hortense smirked and said, "Well I sure don't envy the living." _


	5. Chapter 5 Duchess of Victory

**I do not own Kings or the fallowing song. "****Celtic Woman The Voice Lisa Kelly" Look thing song up and listen to it while you watch the preview for kings.**

**The song in bold are real songs. Enjoy(;**

"_By the time I was Fourteen I had perfected my singing. Everyone praised me for it but I wanted so many things at that age that my heart was over whelmed from it."_

_"Including Jack?" The reporter asked. Hortense looked sheepishly at the guard and the reporter._

_"Yes Joyce, including Jack." Hortense stared off into the corner. "My father never recovered, he only got worse. My mother was heartbroken and my siblings continued to sin. After kneeling and accepting my new title as Duchess of Victory, I sang _**The Voice**_ before my audience of witnesses." Her eyes started to glow. "I remember that day. It was as if people had come from every corner of the earth. They had come to see me."_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Hortense accepted the applause with her head held high. It was no longer appropriate for her to curtsey. Immediately afterwards she went to her farter. The dying king was propped up in bed coughing to the point of crying.

"Awww, there she is, my daughter, the bride of Victory!" They hugged and he kissed her forehead. Dianna sat in a chair not too far from the bed pouting. The king studied Hortense's face and patted her hand.

"You don't look too happy Hortense; this is a day a celebration." He said and coughed some more, Hortense forced a smile.

Dianna scoffed. "If you're so unhappy why don't you just break your vow and marry Jack for Pete's sake?" She nagged. Hortense looked down at the king who looked back at her in wonder.

"I'm not one to break a vow Dianna. That's why father chose me to be Duchess."

Dianna gagged. "Please, I could do that with one leg and my hands tied behind my back."

"That's not all you can do with your hands tied behind you back." Mordred said as he entered the room. He laughed showing all of his perfect teeth. The king ignored his son and took Hortense's hands.

"Tell your sister what is required to be Duchess of Victory." He said. Hortense hated rubbing it in but she didn't want to kill her father's joy.

"As bride of this country one must first of all be honest and meek and humble, but over all chaste." Hortense recited.

Dianna scoffed. "Forget that." She said

"How can you glorify such indecency Dianna?" Hortense said too ashamed of her sister to even look at her.

"I'm a grown woman I can do what I want; right dad?" Dianna said. Hortense spoke before the king.

"You haven't been pure since you were my age, _my age_!" Hortense said. Mordred stood back, enjoying his sisters' cat fight.

"You think you're so great!" Dianna raged. "_O look at me I'm Hortense I'm pure and meek and blah blah blah. I'm such a bean pole and a know it all and I can't even get a prince too look at me yet I'm so darn perfect—_

"Stop it!" Hortense shouted.

"_I'm such a perfectionist and a saint—_

Dianna continued. The King just shook his head unable to say anything and Mordred laughed until he was blue.

"I said STOP." Hortense screamed but Dianna was not finished.

"_I'm such a crowed pleaser that I can't even tell my own father what I really want and swore a life of virginity rather than confess my __undying__love __for a prince who thinks of me as a kid sister!" _With that Dianna stormed from the room and Hortense collapsed in a chair sobbing unable to look her father in the eyes.

A shadow loomed over her and she looked up. "Vows can be broken sis, if you're in that much pain." Mordred said. Hortense wiped her eyes and held up her hand.

"A vow is a vow is a vow is a vow." She said. "I would never disgrace my country, or my parents."

"But you'd disgrace yourself?"

"There is nothing disgraceful about being Duchess." She stood and left the room. Mordred shouted after her.

"Nothing? You're betraying your own heart!"

In the garden Hortense sat on a stone bench sobbing with hedges all around her. Inside the party went on without her but she wasn't in the mood for celebrating.

"Mary Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow, with silver bells and comet tails and pretty maids all in a row."

Hortense looked up at the lone figure as it stepped into the garden. "Jack?" She whispered to herself. The figure moved into the light and the glow cast a halo around his head.

"Oh it's you." She said and sniffled.

"You were expecting someone more important?" Andrew asked as he took a seat. Hortense shook her head. "You have quit a voice for someone so small." Andrew added. Hortense smiled through her tears.

"Thank you." She said sniffling. Andrew nudged her and she smiled even brighter. He began to whistle the tune to '**Vienna Teng's Shine**. Hortense looked into the endless sky and closed her eyes and sang. _In this desert land…_

When she had finished she smiled at Andrew who returned the smile. Hortense's thoughts went racing. She couldn't dwell on Jack forever, he father was dying and Mordred was about to become king. She needed to prepare for whatever changes her brother planned to make. It would be her job to help him and whatever pampered princess he married.

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"_Andrew was a sweet boy. I guess the apple does fall far from the tree." Hortense said. Joyce noticed how puffy her eyes had become._

"_So then what?" The guard asked. Hortense looked over at the reporter and smiled._

"_Aren't you glad that he's here to ask all your questions?" She tilted her head to one side. "As Brice grew up so did his opinion. He and Mordred fought all the time. My mother couldn't stand it, none of us could. We all continued in our ways Mordred was dark Dianna was a…need I really say it. Father slipped deeper and deeper into delirium. As for me I let Cross mold my mind. I admit he made me stronger, ready for what my brother would later do. I behaved like the Duchess of Victory and I sang." _

The queen was struggling to find ways to amuse herself. It seemed like every weekend she would hold a banquet. Hortense never grew tired of singing for her mother whose heart was being rent in two by the slow demise of her father.

She sung at the top of her lungs **"you raise me up, Celtic woman" **After the song was finished she excused herself and retired to her usual wondering of the halls. When she came to the portrait hall she froze. William Cross stood in the hall looking up at one of the portraits. Sneaking up behind him she said,

"Strange isn't it?" Cross turned around and looked down.

"Hortense," He said as if he had been expecting someone different. "Déjà vu." He mumbled under his breath. Hortense grinned innocently and looked up at the portrait.

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_Joyce looked up at Hortense when she stopped talking. The princess was staring blankly into the void, not even blinking._

_"Hortense." The reporter said. Hortense blinked out of her trance and faced the blonde woman. _

_"Who's portrait was he looking at?" The guard asked. Hortense looked at him and stammered._

_"Mary's." She replied monotonously. Regaining her sense she continued. "I can't blame anyone for looking at Mary. If I recall everyone thought she was pretty girl."_

_"Was she dead then?" Joyce asked._

_"No."_

_"Then how come you never mentioned her before?" She asked_

_"Because she was irrelevant until now!" Hortense shouted. _

_"Because she isn't real!" Joyce shouted back. "You made her up to separate yourself from what happened to you. She's not real." The room fell silent save for the ticking of the clock. The guard and the reporter stared blankly as Hortense forced herself to relax. She took a deep breath and let it out. _

_"I never knew Mordred hated me so much that he would attempt to trade me for prosperity."_

_"But he's so much older." The reporter said disgusted. Hortense threw her head back and laughed._

_"Age isn't even a number in Victory. Just ask my sister she's a professional." She said._

_"Hortense!" Joyce said in shock_

_"What?" Hortense boomed. "They thought that just because Dianna was willing to be promiscuous for her country that I was too. No!" Hortense shouted. "I was my father's daughter and unlike Dianna I was a fighter. The only way anyone would take something from was by force." She paused and her lips trembled. "I escaped that day. But I never looked at the world the same again. It went far enough to be considered disgraceful. But I was fortunate, unlike Mordred's victims." _

"_I vowed I'd always be free, I vowed to be a good princess to my brother I vowed to b__e Duchess, I vowed to marry Jack, and I broke each one of those vows one by one!"_

_"Mordred was selfish." The guard said bluntly. Hortense looked at him wishing he could fully understand. Instead she went on with her story._

_"It killed my father and of course Dianna never let me live it down. Mordred become king he changed Victory to Victorious. He wanted to eradicate Silas, Cross wanted to eradicate Silas. They became one monster, one cause." Hortense stopped and sniffled. "Brice had supporters, they tried to over throw Mordred. They were caught and Mordred blamed me for not con__trolling Brice and he had him hanged. Dianna was too afraid to resist, but I was too afraid to give in. He had me exiled to the island of Sulfur."_

_Silence filled the room for a moment. "I was trapped inside a body that I had come to hate; in a world I despised. I continued to sing, but dark were the songs._

_There in that moment Hortense began to sing __**My Madea **_

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	6. Chapter 6 Homage

"_Hortense, Hortense!" Joyce reached across the table and shook the princess. "I need you to focus, what happened next?"_

_"It really gets pointless from there—_

_"I don't care I want to know everything." Joyce said. Hortense sighed and tried to remember where she left off._

_"I never stopped wearing my hair in two braids. I guess I was trying to get my childhood back. However when Mordred had me exiled to Sulfur he also had my head shaven." He pulled at her hair which now came to her shoulders._

_"I spent five years in exile and the world became something I didn't recognize anymore. War raged and people died. Heroes were born and people died. One year Mordred allowed me to make a phone call. I remember him wearing blue and orange, he had replaced our flag with a new one, it was terrible to look at"_

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Hortense tightened her black headscarf around her face and looked up at her brother.

"Come on little sis, don't keep him waiting." Mordred said. Hortense took the phone and held it to her ear. Once she heard his voice that childhood image would be vaporized.

"Jack?" She said. Already tears were starting to stream down her face. "It's me Hortense."

"What do you mean you recognized my voice?" A shot of joy went through her heart. "No, my brother doesn't allow me to read the papers or watch the news. That's the thing about being in exile." She laughed. She wanted the moment to be happy but Mordred had told her what was going on.

"You know, I would have liked to meet David. He's the only person my guards talk about. How he's mesmerized the kingdom." She laughed again. "But I'm sure no more than you." There was silence on the other end. "Hello?" Hortense said. She looked about at Mordred who was grinning. Hortense couldn't help but notice how tall her brother became.

Mordred watched as Hortense's facial expression changed. "Is this a joke?" She asked in a weak voice. "Tell me it's a Joke!" Tears poured from her eyes as her brother signaled for several officers to come in and set up a TV. After it was set up they flipped to the news station and stepped back.

Hortense almost dropped the phone as she watched the re run of the King being shot. She shook her head as Mordred roared in laughter. "Why Jack?" Hortense screamed. "He's your father, how could you turn…what have you become?" She looked at Mordred who was still laughing, even harder now.

"Jack? Jack, I can't here you what's all that noise?" She waited for a voice to reply. "You!" She suddenly shouted and Mordred stopped laughing. "You corrupted him, you corrupted my brother you corrupted me!" She shouted into the phone. "No I will not calm down! If you want to be king then be king, leave Gilboa alone come here, rule here. You've already turned it into Cross nation. The people worship you, even Mordred yields to you." She went silent for a moment as Cross spoke on the other end.

"One day you will run out of puppets and you'll have to face the world alone." She said and hung up the phone. She buried her face in her hands then looked at Mordred.

"I told you, Jack is _my _friend." He said.

"What if this all backfires, what if the King comes back?" Hortense asked. Mordred shrugged.

"Then my good friend William Cross can retreat here and we can massacre any nation that crosses us!" He snatched the phone from her and stuffed it in his pocket. "I'll give you one last chance little sister. You can bow to me, right here right now or you can die." He stood tall and looked down at her. Hortense looked up at him in disbelief that he could even ask that. Some much anger had built up in her heart over the years that she just exploded.

"Never, you murdered!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'll never do it, I'll never even think it! You ruined our family you've been scheming the whole time. You wanted father to die! You knew I would tell Him! Murderer!" The officers were ready to draw their weapons

Hortense stood straight and tall with her hand raised. "I vow never to pay homage to you I vow to die first! I vow, I vow I vow!" Mordred grabbed hold of her and shook her violently swearing up and down. He threw her to the ground but Hortense was up before he could kick her.

"Never, Never, Never!" She shouted fueling his fires. Mordred was too blinded by rage to focus. He stumbled clumsily after her eventually exhausting himself. He leaned against one wall panting and Hortense leaned against another. Their game of cat and mouse had ended.

"You die." Mordred said and marched from the house with his officers fallowing him taking the television. When they had gone Hortense sunk into her chair and closed her eyes. She would not break her vow.

Many days after Mordred's visit Hortense sat in the window as the late noon sun glazed the earth in that hour before twilight. Her eyes were closed and all she could feel was the warmth of the sun on her skin. Not even the jingling of keys or the loud voice of the guard took her out of her state of mind.

"You have a visitor." He has said, but Hortense was deaf to all sounds. Then a familiar voice cut through the invisible veil.

"Hortense Hortense, of great importance how does your garden grow?"

Hortense opened her eyes to the window but did not turn around. "With smashed bells and comet tails and lonely tears all in a row…so my garden grows." She swallowed hard and turned around. "Andrew." She said near tears.

"You were expecting someone more important?" Andrew said. Hortense tried to fight back her tears but the urge was too overwhelming.

Andrew hurried over and put his hand on her shoulder. "I heard about your sentence," He said, "It's not something you deserve. I came to get you out of here. You'll be safe in Gilboa."

Hortense shook her head. "We'll never make it to the port. You should leave before my brother finds out you came." she turned her back to him and looked out the window. She laughed suddenly and shook her head. "You know, I once wanted to be like a comet." She said, "Free. But now I'd be satisfied if I could be the Hortense I was when I made that promise. That's the problems with us humans, Andrew. We can never be satisfied."

Andrew was shaking his head. "I know what it's like to be exiled." He said.

"Do you know how it feels to be stabbed all over with pains?" Hortense asked. "People who I thought were family, not family; friends, not friends." She shook in grief. Andre took her hand in his.

"I'm your friend." He shrugged. Hortense looked up at him in surprise.

"You?" She questioned. "Of all people."

"I know I'm not Jack," He said, "at the end of the day all I am is Andrew, but I promise never to ask you to be more than Hortense." Hortense turned away and bit her bottom lip in effort to stop it from trembling.

"Promise?" She asked with her back to him.

"I vow." Andrew said. Hortense turned around and looked into his face trying to erase whatever images her mind made of his father. She forced herself to stop being bias, after all, all the people she had ever known turned out to be the opposite of their parents.

She could truly consider Andrew a friend; the comet that came through the night despite an army of stars.

"Um what are you doing?" Hortense asked when she saw Andrew go over to the old radio. She shook her head as some how he figured out how to get it to work.

"Once upon a time a princess I know sang in her father's court." Andrew replied. Hortense crossed her arms.

"I'm not singing anything." She said as stubborn as any child. Andrew worked with the radio until he found a working station. The sound of a choir humming filled the room and Andrew nodded his head in satisfaction. Suddenly a man's voice came out the speakers. **Dave Barnes "More than a Man"**

_I should first apologize _

_Cause I've done nothing but I'll do something_

_The good in me gets bad sometimes_

_But I don't mean it_

_I'll never mean it_

_Don't give up on me_

_Baby please believe_

_Cause I'll be more than a man for you_

_I'll do anything you ask me to_

_Heartache or heaven_

_Baby I will, pursue _

_More than a man for you _

Andrew's face flushed and Hortense burst out in laughter. She covered her mouth feeling sorry for him. Andrew bowed with one hand out to Hortense who curtsied smiling bigger than she had in years.

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"_Does that Answer your questions Joyce Baker?" Hortense said as the cells outside her the door opened and closed with a loud clang._

_"You're here because you would not bow to your tyrannical brother?" The reporter asked. "All you had to do was bow." She said in bewilderment._

_"After all of that you still don't understand." Hortense said, "Bowing to my brother would have been a slower more painful death. I vowed not to pay him homage, and I will keep that vow. I owe it."_

_"You shouldn't have to." The guard said clearly upset. "I thought you were in here for homicide of something terrible, but all you did was refuse to bow." His face turned red and so did his eyes as they misted over. In one fluid motion he stood and excused himself from the room. Hortense stared after him for a moment then looked back at Joyce Baker._

_The reporter stopped the recorder and removed her glasses. "I have what I need Princess, thank you." She said a bit sadly. Hortense reached across the table and touched her hand._

_"Don't be sad." She said, "Just think, in about seven hours I'll be as free as ever." The reporter just nodded her head and packed her things. "Most of all, no one can make be break my last vow then." Joyce continued to pack her things as she sniffled. "What are you going to do with all that information?" Hortense asked. _

"_Clear your name." Joyce said. Hortense leaned back in her chair and rested her hands in her lap._

_"Don't get me wrong," Hortense said, "I don't want to die, I would much rather live. On the bright side, a name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one's being born."_

_She smiled as the door opened and the guard stood there calm as can be. "Time." He said and both Hortense and the reporter stood. They entered into the hall way and after nodding their goodbyes started off in opposite directions._

"Long live the Duchess of Victory!" All the guards suddenly chorused. Hortense stopped and turned around. The reporter had stopped too and was staring in equal amazement.

"Salute on three." The head guard said. "One, two, three."

"Salute!" With that they all took a bow before her until only she and Joyce were standing erect.

"Victory is yours." Joyce said and continued on her way. Hortense started back down the row of guards who remained bowing as she walked to her cell. Looking up at the windows in the ceiling high above the steep walls she could see the full moon shinning as a witness to eternity.

"Perhaps the moon looks down on us and thinks, 'imagine what it would be like to be a human; to live a life with purpose. Then after you're gone, your legacy would live on and on and on and on and on and on and on'."

_End…"__**Dante's Prayer" Lorena Mckennitt**_

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_**Thanks to all for reading please review. **_


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